2017 In A Sentence: Maryland started the season with a huge win at Texas, which seemed at the time to springboard the team to a good season but losing its top two quarterbacks to injury in the first four games cost the team and finished just 4-8 overall.

Biggest Shoes to Fill:Coach DJ Durkin was placed on administrative leave while the Maryland university system’s board of regents determine what role he played in the May 29 team workout that resulted in the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair 15 days later. Durkin had a record of just 10-15 in his two seasons but with high rated recruiting, he very well could have the team’s fortunes turned around.

The biggest player to fill will be WR D.J. Moore, who was selected with the 24th overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year after setting the Maryland single-season record for receptions (80) despite catching passes from four different quarterbacks.

Tyrrell Pigrome (left), Kasim Hill (right)

Key Player: QB Tyrrell Pigrome (junior) or Kasim Hill (sophomore) were two signal callers that started the first four games of the season last year but both sustained torn ACLs. Both are expected to return and both would give the team better options than the last eight games last year for the Terps.

Fearless Prediction: Given the off-field issues, the team will be hard-pressed to come together. Expect a similar sub-.500 mark for the Terps as it had in 2017.